Escrow stacker for paper currency

ABSTRACT

An escrow-stacker, for use in a vending machine, has a space which can receive authentic bills from a validator for paper currency; and a pusher moves those bills into position between the bill-receiving surfaces of an escrow means. If the patron who inserted those bills changes his mind, solenoids are operated to move some of the bill-receiving surfaces of the escrow means to bill-releasing position and to open a door which is located below the escrow means - thereby permitting those bills to pass to a currency retrieval receptacle at the exterior of the vending machine. On the other hand, if the patron selects and receives a desired product or service, the pusher will move the bills from their position within the escrow means to a position within a stacking means; and, thereafter, those bills will be held by that stacker means until they are removed by the operator who replenishes the supply of product in the vending machine.

United States Patent [1 1 Erickson 1 Dec. 3, 1974 1 1 ESCROW STACKER FOR PAPER CURRENCY [75] Inventor: Gustav F. Erickson, Hot Springs,

[21] Appl. No.: 385,417

[52] US. Cl. 194/4 R, 133/1 R, 194/DIG. 9 [51] Int. Cl. B69h 29/14 [58] Field of Search 194/4 R, 4 C, 4 E, 4 F,

l94/DIG. 9 B, DIG. 9; 133/1 R; 209/73 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,064,785 11/1962 Weingart 194/4 F 3,101,892 8/1963 Reese, Jr. I l 133/1 X 3,108,680 10/1963 Ellis et al. 194/4 E X 3,487,905 1/1970 James 194/9 B X 3,683,943 8/1972 De Crepy 194/9 B x 3,765,523 lO/I973 Nakanishi 194/4 R Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Rogers, Ezell & Eilers 5 7] ABSTRACT An escrow-stacker, for use in a vending machine, has a space which can receive authentic bills from a validator for paper currency; and a pusher moves those bills into position between the bill-receiving surfaces of an escrow means. If the patron who inserted those bills changes his mind, solenoids are operated to move some of the bill-receiving surfaces of the escrow means to bill-releasing position and to open a door which is located below the escrow means thereby permitting those bills to pass to a currency retrieval receptacle at the exterior of the vending machine. On the other hand, if the patron selects and receives a desired product or service, the pusher will move the bills from their position within the escrow means to a position within a stacking means; and, thereafter, those bills will be held by that stacker means until they are removed by the operator who replenishes the supply of product in the vending machine.

m w i '9 FIELD OF THE INVENTION Some vending machines require money, which equals or exceeds the purchase price of the desired product, to be inserted before a selection can be made; and such vending machines are known as post select vending machines. Such vending machines usually are provided with escrow means to enable a patron to recover the inserted money in the event he changes his mind or the vending machine is unable to supply the desired product. Where the inserted money is in the form of paper currency, it would be desirable to hold that paper currency in the form of a compact stack of bills.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Prior escrow means, for the paper currency accepted by paper currency validators, have been bulky and expensive. Prior bill stacking devices, for the paper currency accepted by paper currency validators, have been unable to return stacked bills to patrons.

SUMMARY OF TI-IE INVENTION The present invention provides an escrow-stacker for paper currency which has a space into which bills from a paper currency validator can be introduced. A pusher member will move those bills into position between the bill-gripping surfaces of an escrow means in that escrow-stacker to hold those bills available for return to the patron who inserted them or for movement to a stacker means in that escrow-stacker. If the patron changes his mind or if the vending machine is unable to dispense the desired product or service, some of the bill-gripping members of the escrow means will be moved to bill-releasing position and a door below the escrow means will be opened to permit those bills to move to a currency retrieval receptacle at the exterior of the vending machine. On the other hand, if the vending machine dispenses the desired product, the pusher will move the bills from their position within the escrow means to a position within the stacker means. Brief Description of the Drawing In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a partially broken-away side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of escrow-stacker that is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a partially broken-away, partiallysectioned plan view of the escrow-stacker of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a partially broken-away sectional view through the escrow-stacker of FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, through the escrow-stacker of FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 4-4 in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, on the scale of FIG. 4, through the escrow-stacker of FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 5-5 in FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view, on a still larger scale, through the escrow-stacker of FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 66 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view, on the scale of FIG. 6, which resembles the right-hand upper portion of FIG. 2, but which shows the escrow means and the stacker means of the escrow-stacker of FIG. 1 holding bills,

FIG. 8 is a sectional view which is similar to FIG. 7 but which shows the escrow-stacker of FIG. 1 in billstacking position,

FIG. 9 is a sectional view on the scale of FIG. 6 through the escrow-stacker of FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 9-9 in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 10 is a simplified circuit diagram which shows the electrical components on the escrow-stacker of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 10 generally denotes the housing of an escrow-stacker for paper currency which is provided by the present invention. The numeral 12 denotes the top of that housing; and the numeral 1 1 denotes an opening in that top. The numeral 13 denotes part of a validator of standard and usual design made by the NRI Industries division of UMC Industries, Inc.; and one end of that validator is rotatably secured to the housing 10 by pivots 21. Normally, that validator rests against the top 12 of the housing 10; and, at such time, that validator closes part of the opening 11 in that top, and the outlet opening of that validator, through which authentic bills are discharged, communicates directly with the opening 11. However, that validator can be rotated away from the top 10 to fully uncover the opening 11, and thereby facilitate the removal of stacked bills from the escrowstacker.

The numeral 14 denotes the bottom of the housing 10; and that bottom has a bill-discharging opening 15 therein adjacent the front end thereof, and has an elongated slot 19 therein adjacent the rear thereof. The numeral 16 denotes one of the side walls of the housing 10; and the numeral 18 denotes the opposite side wall of that housing. The numeral 17 denotes generally rectangular shallow notches which are provided in the upper edges of the side walls 16 and 18 adjacent the front ends of those side walls.

The numeral 20 denotes brackets which are secured to the outer faces of the side walls 16 and 18 adjacent the forward ends of the notches 17 in those side walls. The numeral 22 denotes brackets which are secured to the outer faces of the side walls 16 and 18 at points disposed rearwardly of the rear edges of the notches 17 in those side walls. The brackets 20 and 22 support guide rods 24 which are parallel to, but are spaced short distances outwardly of, the outer faces of the side walls 16 and 18. The numeral 26 denotes a pusher slide which is U-shaped in plan, and which has downwardly-bent ears at the opposite ends of the arms thereof to provide inverted U-shaped configurations for those arms. Openings in those downwardly extending ends accommodate the guide rods 24; and hence the pusher slide 26 can reciprocate along those guide rods. The numeral 28 denotes a pusher which is U-shaped in cross section, and which is generally rectangular in side view. A flange 30 on the pusher 28 is permanently secured to the pusher slide 26, so that pusher and that pusher slide reciprocate as a unit along the guide rods 24. An elongated link 32 has a slot 31 therein; and a notch 33 is provided adjacent one end of that slot. That slot and that notch can accommodate a pin 51 which projects outwardly from one side of the pusher slide 26. Helical compression springs 29 surround the guide rods 24,

and have the rear ends thereof engaging the brackets 22 and have the front ends thereof engaging the arms of the pusher slide 26. As a result, those helical compression springs urge that pusher slide toward the brackets 26; but those helical compression springs can yield to permit that pusher slide to be moved rearwardly relative to the housing 10.

The numeral 34 denotes plates which are generally rectangular in plan and which are disposed adjacent the outer faces of the side walls 16 and 18 of the housing and each of those plates has pivot-like projections 36 that are bent at right angles to the planes of those plates and that are lodged within slots in those side walls. Those projections coact with those slots to permit the plates 34 to move from the normal positions wherein they are immediately adjacent the outer faces of the side walls 16 and 18 to positions wherein those plates are inclined at shallow angles to those outer faces. The numeral 38 denotes the bill-receiving edges of the plates 34, and those edges incline from the planes of those plates. Whenever the plates 34 are immediately adjacent the outer faces of the side walls 16 and 13, the bill-receiving edges 38 extend inwardly through elongated slots 39 in the side walls 16 and 18.

The numeral 40 denotes solenoids which are mounted on brackets 41 that extend outwardly from the outer faces of the side walls 16 and 18 of the housing 10. The plungers of the solenoids 40 are pivoted to the plates 34 by pivots 42; and, whenever those solenoids are de-energized, the returning springs of those solenoids will hold the plates 34 immediately adjacent the outer faces of the side walls 16 and 18. However,

plates 34. Those feet serve as bill-receiving edges and can coact with the bill-receiving edges 38 of the plates 34. to grip the elongated sides of bills. The helical extension springs 56 can, however, yield to permit the feet 50 of the plates 44 to move away from the billreceiving edges 38 of the plates 34.

When the pusher 28 is in the normal position denoted by the numeral 96, it will coact with the feet 50 of the plates 44 to define a space, within the housing 10, that is larger than but which is in register with the outlet opening of validator 13 through which authentic bills are discharged. That space will freely and fully accommodate any bills which are validated by the validator 13 and are introduced into the housing 10. That space is above, and directly in register with, the bill-receiving opening 15 in the bottom 14 of the housing 10. The numeral 59 denotes a door which is mounted adjacent the bill-discharging opening 15 by pivots 60; and gravity biases that door for movement to the position of FIG. 4. The numeral 57 denotes a lever which is rotatably mounted on a pivot 53 that is secured to'the side wall 16; and that lever is connected to the plunger of a solenoid 61 by a link 63 and pivots 65. Whenever that solenoid is de-energized, the returning spring thereof will act through the link 63 and the pivots 65 to cause the lever 57 to cam the door 59 up into position to close the bill-discharging opening 59; and that lever will lock when the solenoids are energized, the plungers of those solenoids will move the plates 34 outwardly rela tive to the side walls 16 and 18, and thereby will move the bill-receiving edges 38 of those plates outwardly relative to the slots 39.

The numeral 44 denotes plates which are generally rectangular in plan and which are generally L-shaped in cross-section. Each of those plates has an ear 45 which projects outwardly at right angles from the plane of that plate. Ears on the plates 44 are secured to a slide plate 46 by pivots 48; and the legs" of those L-shaped plates normally abut the outer faces of those slide plates. The feet 50 of the L-shaped plates 44 extend inwardly through slots 47 in the slide plates 46; and those feet normally extend inwardly through the slots 39 in the side walls 16 and 18 of the housing 10. Each of the plates 44 has a generally rectangular notch 43 therein to accommodate the plungers of the solenoids 40 and the mounting brackets for those solenoids.

The slide plate 46 is generally T-shaped in plan; and it has slots 49 in the stem thereof which accommodate studs 52 and 54 that are secured to the side walls 16 and 18. Those studs hold the slide plates 46 in assembled relation with the housing 10 but permit those slide plates to reciprocate relative to that housing. The stems of the slide plates 46 are displaced inwardly of the forward ends of those slide plates; and those forward ends overlie the plates 34 and underlie the legs of the that door in that position. However, when the solenoid is energized, the lever 57 will move to the inclined posi-. tion of FIG. 10 to permit the door 59 to move away from the bill-discharging opening 15.

The numeral 58 denotes a solenoid which is secured to the side wall 16; and the plunger of that solenoid is pivotally secured to a lever 71 which isf frotatably mounted on a pivot 55 that extends outwardly from that side wall. A roller 73 is rotatably secured to one end of the lever 71; and that roller underlies an intermediate portion of the link 32. A helical extension spring extends between a stationary stud and the opposite end of the lever 71. Whenever the solenoid 58 is de-energized, the helical extension spring 75 will act through lever 71 and roller 73 to urge the slot 31 in link 32 upwardly relative to the pin 51 on the pusher slide 26; and will usually cause the notch 33 to surround that pin. However, when that solenoid is energized, it will pull the roller 73 downwardly and permit the link 32 to move downwardly and thereby move the notch 33 away from the pin 51.

The numeral 62 denotes a back-up plate which is generally rectangular and which is U-shaped in cross section. The sides of that back-up plate confront the inner faces of the side walls 16 and 18, but sufficient clearance is provided between those sides and those inner faces to permit that back-up plate to freely reciprocate relative to those side walls. The numeral 64 denotes a supporting bracket which has the upper end thereof permanently secured to the back-up plate 62, and which has the lower end thereof extending downwardly through the slot 19 in the bottom 14 and permanently secured to a ball-equipped sleeve-type bearing 66. The intermediate portion of the supporting bracket 64 inclines downwardly and rearwardly relative to the back-up plate 62. The numeral 67 denotes a further ball-equipped sleeve-type bearing which is secured to the lower edge of the back-up plate 62. The bearings 66 and 67 are coaxial; and those bearings are supported by and slide along a guide rod 68 which is held below the bottom 14 by a bracket 70 and a bracket 72. The slot 19 in the bottom 14 is elongated and permits reciprocation of the back-up plate 62 and of the supporting bracket 64.

The numeral 74 denotes a helical compression spring which encircles the rear end of the guide rod 68. One end of that helical compression spring bears against the bracket 70 while the other end of that helical compression spring bears against the bearing 66 to urge the back-up plate 62 toward the front of the housing 10. However, that helical compression spring can yield to permit that back-up plate to be moved toward the rear of that housing. The numeral 76 denotes bill-receiving flanges which extend inwardly of the inner surfaces of the side walls 16 and 18 of the housing 10. Those flanges preferably are formed by slitting and inwardly punching portions of those side walls; and those flanges serve as billreceiving elements and as stops for the back-up plate 62.

The numeral 80 denotes elongated abutments which are secured to the side walls 16 and 18 of the housing and those abutments have the front ends thereof displaced outwardly from those side walls to be in register with the outer ends of the ears 45 on the plates44. Those ears are disposed forwardly of the abutments 80 when the pusher 28 is in the position indicated by the numeral 98; but those ears will engage, and will be held against further rearward movement by, those abutments when the pusher 28 is used to move bills into the stacking means of the escrow-stacker. The numeral 82 denotes leaf springs which are fixedly secured to the slide plates 46, and which have the forward ends thereof bearing against the plates 44 to urge the billreceiving edges 50 of those plates inwardly of the slots 39 in the side walls 16 and 18.

The numeral 86 denotes a small, gear-type electric motor; and .the output shaft of that motor has a cam 88 thereon. In addition, that shaft has a one-revolution, motor-run-switch cam, not shown, of standard and usual design thereon, and the latter cam is mounted adjacent a singlepole, double-throw motor-run switch 108. The numeral 90 denotes an L-shaped lever which is rotatably mounted adjacent the cam 88 and which has the upper end thereof pivotally secured to the rear end of the link 32 by a pivot 94. A spring 95 biases that lever for rotation in the clockwise direction, and thus causes that lever to urge the link 32 toward the forward end of the housing 10. In addition, that spring causes a roller 92 on the short arm of the lever 90. to bear against the periphery of the cam 88. When the output shaft of the motor 86 is in its home position, the notch 33 in the slot 31 in link 32 will be in register with the pin 51 on the pusher slide 26, and that pusher slide will be adjacent the brackets 20. Also when that output shaft is in its home" position, the helical extension spring will act through the lever 71 and the roller 73 to hold the notch 33 up in position to surround the pin 51.

The numerals 102 and 104 denote conductors which can be connected to a suitable source of alternating current; and the numeral 106 denotes a single-pole, single-throw switch which is mounted within the validator l3 and which will be closed as an authentic bill is intro duced into the space which is defined by the pusher 28v and the bill-engaging edges 50 of the plates 44. The numeral 110 denotes a relay coil which controls relay contacts 112, 114, 116 and 118; and the numeral 120 denotes a relay coil which controls relay contacts 122, 124, 126 and 128. The numeral 117 denotes a normally closed switch that will open whenever the escrowstacker is caused to receive and hold a bill from the validator 13. That switch can be mounted so it is adjacent the output shaft of the motor 86 and so it will be open whenever that output shaft is out of its at rest" position. The numeral 129 denotes a single-pole, double-throw selection switch or delivery switch of a vending machine with which the escrow-stacker of the present invention can be used; and the numeral 130 denotes the normally open money-retum switch of that vending machine. The numeral 132 denotes a relay coil which controls relay contacts 134, 136 and 138; and the numeral 140 denotes a 40 microfarad capacitor which is connected in parallel with that relay coil. The numeral 142 denotes a 47 ohm resistor, and the numeral 144 denotes a diode which is connected between resistor 142 and relay coil 132.

When the escrow-stacker provided by the present invention is empty and at rest, the helical compression springs 74 will hold the back-up plate 62 against the flanges 76; and the plungers of solenoids 40 will hold the plates 34 in abutting engagement with the outer faces of the side walls 16 and 18 so the bill-receiving edges 38 of those plates will extend inwardly through the slots 39. The helical extension springs 56 will hold the bill-receiving edges 50 of the plates 44 in engagement with the bill-receiving edges 38 of the plates 44;'

and the helical compression springs 29 will hold the pusher slide 26 adjacent the brackets 20, and thus will hold the pusher 28 in its position 96. The door 59 will be closed; and the various switches and relay contacts will be in the position shown by the circuit diagram.

As an authentic bill is discharged by the paper currency validator l3 and passes into the space between the pusher 28 and the bill-receiving edges 50, the switch 106 will close and energize the relay coil 120. Relay contacts 122 will close to provide a temporary holding circuit for relay coil 120, relay contacts 124 will close to energize the motor 86, relay contacts 126 will open to temporarily isolate selection switch 129 from conductor 102, and relay contacts 128 will close to energize solenoid 58. Thereupon, the roller 73- will be moved downwardly to permit the notch 33 in the slot 31 in link 32 to move below the level of the pin 51, and the motor 86 will start rotating the cam 88 in the clockwise direction. The switch 117 will open to keep the validator 13 from accepting a further bill; and the lever 90 will start rotating in the counter clockwise direction and will start moving the link 32 rearwardly relative to the housing 10. Because the notch 33 in the slot 31 in that link is below the level of the pin 51, the pusher slide 26 and the pusher 28 will not start moving rearwardly relative to the housing 10 until the forwardmost end of that slot engages that pin. However, as that forwardmost end engages that pin, the pusher 28 will move rearwardly with the link 32, and it will engage the bill 146, which is introduced into the housing 10 by the validator l3, and will force that bill to move toward the bill-receiving edges 38 and 50, respectively, of the plates 34 and 44. When the pusher 28 forces the elongated edges of the bill against the bill-receiving edges 38 of the plates 34, those bill-receiving edges will resist further rearward movement of those elongated edges; but that pusher will move those bill-receiving edges, and will move far enough rearwardly to force the elongated edges to move rearwardly past those billreceiving -edges. As the elongated edges of the bill move rearwardly past the bill-receiving edges 38, those elongated edges will tend to move back into the plane of the rest of the bill, and thus will move outwardly toward the confronting inner faces of the side walls 16 and 18 of the housing 10. In doing so, those elongated edges will move outwardly beyond the confronting portions of the bill-receiving edges 38.

Immediately after the pusher 28 moves the elongated edges of the bill into engagement with the bill-receiving edges 38 of the plates 34, that pusher will force that bill into engagement with the bill-receiving edges 50 on the plates 40. Because the leaf springs 82' resist outward movement of the bill-receiving edges 50, those billreceiving edges will remain in the path of the pusher 28. Continued rearward movement of the pusher 28 will cause the plates 44 to move rearwardly ahead of that pusher, and those plates will act through the pivots 48 to move the slide plates 46 rearwardly the helical extension springs 56 yielding to permit those slide plates to so move.

The pusher 28 will move rearwardly until it reaches the position indicated by the numeral 98; and, when the pusher reaches that position, the elongated edges of the bill will be held tightly between that pusher and the billreceiving edges 50 on the plates 44. As the fall of the cam 88 moves into register with the roller 92 on the lever 90, the spring 95 will return that lever and the line 32 to their at rest" positions. Also, the helical compression springs 29 will move the pusher 28 back toward, and then into, the position indicated by the numeral 96. As that pusher moves back toward position 96, the helical extension springs 56 will force the slide plates 46 and the plates 44 to move forwardly with that pusher until the bill-receiving edges 50 on those plates force the elongated edges of the bill into holding engagement with the bill-receiving edges 38 on the plates 34. Thereafter, as the pusher 28 moves back to its position 96, the bill will be held by the bill-receiving edges 38 and 50, respectively, of the plates 34 and 44; and

those bill-receiving edges will constitute part of the escrow means of the escrow-stacker.

During the rotation of the output shaft of the motor 86, the movable contact of the motor-run switch 108 was shifted into engagement with the right-hand contact of that switch to break the holding circuit for relay coil 120 and also to provide a holding circuit for that motor. As that output reaches its at rest position, the switch 117 will re-close, and the movable contact of the motor-run switch 108 will shift back into engagement with the left-hand contact of that switch to break the holding circuit for the motor 86; and, thereupon, that output shaft will come to rest.

If the price of the product or service supplied by the vending machine is greater than one dollar, and if a second dollar bill is introduced into the space between the pusher 28 and the previously-inserted bill, that pusher will respond to a second energization of motor 86 and of solenoid 58 to move the elongated edges of that second bill toward and rearwardly of the bill-receiving edges 38 of the plates 34. Moreover, the pusher 28 will again shift the plates 44 and the slide plates 46 rearwardly, and will thereby give the elongated edges of the second-inserted bill an opportunity to move outwardly toward the confronting inner faces of the side walls 16 and 18 of the housing 10. At the time the pusher 28 reaches the position indicated by the numeral 98, the first-inserted bill'and the second-inserted bill will be in face-to-face relation and will have the elongated edges thereof held by the pusher 28 and by the bill-receiving edges 50 of the plates 44.

Subsequently, as the pusher 28 moves back to the position shown by the numeral 96, the helical extension springs 56 will force the slide plates 46 and the plates 44 to move forwardly with that pusher until the billreceiving edges 50 on those plates force the elongated edges of the bill into holding engagement with the billreceiving edges 38 on the plates 34. Thereafter, as the pusher 28 moves back to its position 96, the two bills will be in face-to-face relation and will have their elongated edges tightly held by the bill-receiving edges 50 and 38, respectively, of the plates 44 and 34.

Any additional bills, which are authenticated by the paper currency validator l3 and which enter the space between the pusher 28 and the bill-receiving edges 50 while the first two bills are held by those bill-receiving edges and by the bill-receiving edges 38, will be successively moved into face-to-face relation with those two bills. Those bills can, depending upon the wishes of the patron and upon the ability of the vending machineto deliver the desired product or service, be returned to the patron or be stacked within the stacking means in the housing 10. As a result, those bills are held inescrow.

if the patron changes his mind and closes the moneyreturn switch 130, the relay coil 132 will become energized and the capacitor 140 will become charged. The resulting opening of relay contacts 134 will temporarily isolate relay coil from the selection switch 129, the resulting opening of relay contacts 136 will temporarily keep the validator 13 from accepting a further bill, and the resulting closing of relay contacts 138 will energize all of the solenoids 40 and 61. The latter solenoid will pull the lever 57 to the inclined position of FIG. 4, and

thereby permit the door 59 to rotate to its open position; and the solenoids 40 will cause the plates 34 to rotate outwardly relative to the side walls 16 and 18. As those plates rotate outwardly, the bill-receiving edges 38 thereon will move out of holding engagement with the elongated edges of the hills which had been held in escrow. Thereupon, those bills will fall downwardly to and through the opening 15 in the bottom ,14 of the housing 10, and will be guided to a money retrieval receptacle at the exterior of the vending machine. In this way, the bills which were held in escrow are promptly and simply returned to the patron.

As long as the patron keeps the switch closed, the relay coil 110 will be isolated from the selection switch 129, the validator 13 will be unable to accept a further bill, the bill-receiving edges 38 on the plates 34 will be held out of bill-holding position, and the door 59 will be left open. After the patron releases the switch 130, the capacitor 140 will discharge through the relay coil 132 and will momentarily hold that relay coil energized thereby momentarily keeping the relay coil 110 isolated from the selection switch 129, keeping the validator 13 from accepting a further bill, holding the bill-receiving edges 38 on the plates 34 out of bill-holding position, and leaving the door 59 open.-

That momentary holding of relay coil 132 in energized condition makes certain that the escrow-stacker will return to the patron all of the bills which that patron introduced into the validator l3.

if the patron makes a selection and if the vending machine is able to deliver the desired product or service, the movable contact of selection switch 129 will move to the right into engagement with the right-hand contact of that switch, and thereby energize the relay coil 110. The resulting right-hand movement of the movable relay contact 112 will provide a holding circuit for that relay coil, the resulting closing of relay contacts 114 will energize the motor 86, the resulting opening of relay contacts 116 will temporarily isolate relay coil 132 from the money-return switch 130, and the resulting opening of relay contacts 118 will temporarily keep the validator 13 from accepting a further bill. The motor 86 will start rotating the cam 88 in the clockwise direction; and, because the solenoid 58 is not energized, the notch 31 in the link 32 will respond to the resulting rearward movement of that link to cause rearward movement of the pusher slide 26 and of the pusher 28. As that pusher moves rearwardly, it will pass between the confronting portions of the bill-receiving edges 38 on the plates 34 and move into engagement with the central portion of the last-inserted of the escrowed bills. Continued rearward movement of that pusher will force the plates 44 and the slide plates 46 to move rearwardly; and, after those slide plates have moved far enough rearwardly to cause the ears 45 on the plates 44 to engage the abutments 80, further rearward movement of the pusher 28 will cause the billreceiving edges 50 of the plates 44 to rotate outwardly relative to the side walls 16 and 18. Those bill-receiving edges will move far enough apart to permit the pusher 28 to move between them; and that pusher will then force the elongated edges of the escrowed bills into engagement with the flanges 76. Those flanges will tend to resist movement of those elongated edges, but the pusher 28 will force those elongated edges to move rearwardly of those flanges. As the pusher 28 continues to move toward the position indicated by the numeral 100 in FIG. 8, it will force the elongated edges of the escrowed bills to bend inwardly as they pass the flanges 76; but those elongated edges then will tend to move outwardly toward the confronting surfaces of the side walls 16 and 18 of the housing 10. As the pusher 28 moves the elongated edges of the escrowed bills into engagement with the flanges 76, it will move the central portions of those bills into engagement with the backup plate 62; and hence continued movement of the pusher 28 toward the position indicated by the numeral 100 will move the back-up plate 62 away from the flanges 76. At the time the pusher 28 reaches the position indicated by the numeral 100, all of the escrowed bills will have been moved to the left of flanges 76 and the elongated edges of all of those bills will have had an opportunity to move outwardly of the confronting edges of those flanges. Consequently, when the roller 92 moves into register with the fall of the cam 88, and thereby permits the springs 29 to move the pusher 28 back toward the position 98 in FIG. 7, the back-up plates 62 will force the elongated edges of the escrowed bills into engagement with the flanges 76; and thereafter those elongated edges will be tightly held by those flanges and by the sides of that back-up plate. The bills now will constitute a stack wherein all of the bills are in face-to-face relation and are compactly stored within the housing 10.

As soon as the pusher 28 has moved the bill-receiving edges 50 of the plates 44 out of its path, the springs 56 will shift the slide plates 46 and the plates 44 toward the front of the housing 10; and hence the ears 45 on those plates will no longer coact with the abutments to hold those bill-receiving edges in their outwardlyrotated positions. The leaf springs 82 will urge the billreceiving edges 50 inwardly toward their normal positions, but the sides of the pusher 28 will keep those billreceiving edges from rotating that far inwardly. However, after the pusher 28 has been moved far enough toward the front of the housing 10 to clear the billreceiving edges 50, the leaf springs 82 will return those bill-receiving edges to their normal positions. At this time, no bills will be held between the bill-receiving edges 50 and 38 because the escrowed bills were physically moved to the left of the flanges 76 and are held in stacked position by those flanges and the back-up plate 62.

At the time the pusher 28 returns to the position 96 of FIG. 7, the escrow-stacker will be in position to receive further bills from the paper currency validator 13. As those further bills are introduced into the escrow-stacker, those bills will initially be held in escrow by the bill-receiving edges 38 and 50 of the escrow means. If those bills are to be returned to the patron,

the solenoid 61 will pull the lever 57 out of the path of the door 59, and the solenoids 40 will rotate the plates 34 outwardly to cause the bill-receiving edges 38 thereof to free those bills. Thereupon, those bills will fall downwardly through the opening 15 in the bottom 14 of the housing 10 and pass to the currency retrieval receptacle at the exterior of the vending machine. On the other hand, if the patron makes a selection and the vending machine is able to supply the desired product or service, the pusher 28 will force the escrowed bills to move against the back-up plate 62 and between the flanges 76 of the stacker means of the escrow-stacker, and thus will add the escrowed bills to the stack of bills already held by the stacker means.

The bills which are to be returned to the patron will move vertically downwardly through the opening 15in the bottom 14 of the housing 10, whereas the bills which are to be transferred from the escrow means to the stacker means move horizontally to the left in FIGS. l and 2. As a result, it should be apparent that the bills which are to be returned to the'patron will follow a path which is at least in part totally separate and distinct from the path which must be followed by bills that are transferred from the escrow means to the stacker means.

The paper currency validator 13 normally covers the front end of the opening 11 in the top 12 of the housing 10, but that validator can be rotated forwardly and upwardly by the operator of the vending machine to enable him to insert his thumb and a finger to grip the bills which are held in face-to-face relation by the back-up plate 62 and the flanges 76 of the stacker means. The upper end of that back-up plate has a notch to receive the operators thumb or finger. Those bills can be withdrawn from the escrow-stacker in the form of a stack, and thus will be held in a neat and compact form.

As a bill leaves the outlet opening of the validator 13 and enters the space between the pusher 28 and the bill-receiving edges 50 on the plates 44, the lower end of that bill will rest on the door 59, and that bill will stand on end in that space. That bill may tend to bow or bend if it has been folded or bent in use, but the pusher 28 will tend to straighten out that bill as it pushes that bill against the bill-receiving edges 38 and 50. However, even if, somehow, that pusher did not straighten out that bill, and if that bill was gripped by the bill-receiving edges 38 and 50 while it was bowed or bent, the escrow means would tightly hold that bill. Further, the stacker means would tightly hold that bill when the pusher 28 transferred that bill from the escrow means to the stacker means.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the escrowed bills are returned to the patron who inserted them by releasing those bills and permitting gravity to move them to the money retrieval receptacle. If desired, however, the escrowed bills could be driven to a point at the exterior of the vending machine where they could be accessible to the patron who inserted them. For example, bill-gripping rollers could normally be disposed adjacent the escrow means where they were out of the path of the pusher 28, and then could be moved into engagement with the opposite faces of the escrowed bill or bills and rotated to drive those escrowed bills out of the housing 10. Alternatively, the escrow means could be made so it included a supporting plate that normally performed the functions of the bill-receiving edges 50, and that could coact with a billgripping roller, that was moved into engagement with the escrowed bills, to move those bills to a point at the exterior of the vending machine where they could be accessible to the patron who inserted them. That supporting plate would be moved laterally out of the path of the pusher 28 when the bills were to be transferred from the escrow means to the stacker means. Either of these arrangements, or some other comparable arrangement, could be used if it ever became desirable to provide positive discharging of the escrowed bills from the vending machine. However, in most instances, gravity-induced movement of bills to a currencyretrieval receptacle at the exterior of a vending machine will be acceptable and will be desirable because of its simplicity and low cost.

'The present invention thus provides an escrowstacker which can hold one or more bills in escrow and can selectively return the escrowed money to the patron or transfer that money from the escrow means to the stacker means and thereafter hold that money in stacked condition. Where two or more bills are held by the escrow means, those bills are held in face-to-face relation and are transferred to the stacker means while in that face-to-face relationship. As that plurality of bills is transferred from the escrow means to the stacker means, that plurality of bills will move into face-to-face relation with the previously stacked bills to add to the overall compactly stacked bills.

Whereas the drawing and accompanying description have shown and described one preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof.

What I claim is:

l. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, bill-moving means to move bills in said space into a position where they are gripped by said escrow means and to subsequently move bills gripped by said escrow means into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path by said bill-moving means as they are successively moved into positions where they are gripped by said escrow means and are held under pressure by said stacker means, and billreturning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path.

2. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency as claimed in claim 1 wherein said escrow means presses said bills together in face-to-face relation, and wherein said stacker means subsequently presses said bills together in face-to-face relation.

3. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bill-moving means includes a pusher that moves a predetermined distance as it moves said bill to the first said position and that moves a further distance as it moves said bill to said second position.

4. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bill-moving means includes a reciprocable pusher, and wherein said reciprocable pusher moves a predetermined distance in one direction as it moves said bill to the first said position and that moves said bill a further distance in said one direction as it moves said bill to said second position.

5. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bill-moving means can bodily move a plurality of hills which are gripped in the first said position by said escrow means to said second position where they will be held under pressure by said stacker means.

6. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space which has gripping members that can receive and temporarily grip the edges of bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means which has further gripping members that can receive bills from said escrowmeans and that can hold the edges of said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means defining one side of saidspace, said space and said stacker means being disposed on opposite sides of said escrow means, bill-moving means to I move bills in said space into a position where they are gripped by said escrow means and to .subsequently move bills gripped by said escrow means into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into the first said position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into said second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said said escrow means being disposed between two of said walls, and said stacker means being disposed between said two of said walls, whereby a bill that is to be held under pressure by said stacker means will continuously remain between said two of said walls as said bill is successively received and gripped by said escrow means and received and held under pressure by said stacker means.

7. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, and bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said billreturning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having bill-gripping members that grip the edges of bills moved to and held in said first position, and said bill-returning means causing said bill-gripping members to release the bills gripped by said escrow means.

8. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, and bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said billreturning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member that remains essentially motionless as a bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, and said escrow means having a second billgripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved away from said first bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back into close proximity to said first said billgripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means.

9. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said billreturning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, bill-moving ,means which move each bill that is moved into said space into a first position where it is gripped by said escrow means, said bill-moving means including a pusher, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member that remains essentially motion-less as said bill-moving means move said bill into said first position, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved away from said first said bill-gripping member by said pusher of said bill-moving means, and said pusher of said bill-moving means subsequently permitting said second bill-gripping member to move back into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member.

10. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communica-' tion with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker .means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into'a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member that remains essentially motionless as a bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said billgripping member but that is moved away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back into close proximity to said first said billgripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, and said bill-returning means causing said first said bill-gripping member to move away from said second bill-gripping member and thereby effect the release of any bill gripped by said escrow means.

11. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member that remains essentially motionless as a bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said billgripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said billgripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, and said bill-returning means causing said first said bill-gripping member to move away from said second bill-gripping member in a direction transverse of the first said direction and thereby effect the release of any bill gripped by said escrow means. 12. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills fromsaid escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectivelyreturn bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said billgripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said second bill-gripping member being moved in said one direction and also being moved in a direction transverse to the said one direction away from said first said bill-gripping memberas said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, and said second bill-gripping member subsequently being permitted to move back into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member.

13. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said hills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, bill-moving means which move each bill that is moved into said space into a first position where it is gripped by said escrow means, said bill-moving means subsequently moving said bill from said first position to a second position where it is held under pressure by said stacker means, said bill-moving means including a reciprocable pusher, said reciprocable pusher moving a predetermined distance in one direction as it moves said bill to said first position and moving said bill a further distance in said one direction as it moves said bill to said second position, and a lostmotion linkage which selectively moves said reciprocable pusher through said predetermined and said further distances.

14. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space than can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said billgripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said stacker means having a billgripping element, said stacker means having a second bill-gripping element that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping element but that is moved in a given direction away from said first said bill-gripping element and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said billgripping element as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, and said second billgripping member being moved in said one direction be-.

fore said second bill-gripping element is moved in said given direction.

15. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in onedirection away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to'move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said billgripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said stacker means having a billgripping element, and said stacker means having a second bill-gripping element that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping element butthat is moved in a given direction away from said first said bill-gripping element and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping element as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, said one direction and said given direction being the same.

16. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that hills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, bill-moving means which move each bill that is moved into said space into a first position where it is gripped by said escrow-means, said bill-moving means subsequently moving said bill from said first position to a second position where it is held under pressure by said stacker means, said bill-moving means including a pusher, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said billgripping memberas said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said stacker means having a billgripping element, said stacker means having a second bill-gripping element that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping element but that is moved in agiven direction away from said first said bill-gripping element and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said firstsaid billgripping element as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, said pusher causing said second bill-gripping member to move in said one direction as said bill is moved into position to be gripped by said escrow means, and said pusher causing said second bill-gripping member to move in said one direction and causing said second bill-gripping element to move in said given direction as said bill is moved into position to be held under pressure by said stacker means.

17. A combination escrow-stacker for paper cur-.

rency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip. bills which are moved into space, stacker means in communication which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate anddistinct from said predetermined path, bill-moving means which move each bill that is moved into said space into a first position where it is gripped by said escrow means, said bill-moving means subsequently moving said bill from said first position to a second position where it is held under pressure by said stacker means, said bill-moving means includinga pusher,said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said billgripping member, said second bill-gripping member being moved in 7 said one direction and also being moved in a direction transverse to the said one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, said stacker means having a billgripping element, said stacker means having a second bill-gripping element that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping element but that is moved in a given direction away from said first said bill-gripping element said second bill-gripping member to move in said one direction and also in said transverse direction and causing said second bill-gripping element to move in said given direction as said bill is moved into position to be held under pressure by said stacker means. 

1. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from Said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, bill-moving means to move bills in said space into a position where they are gripped by said escrow means and to subsequently move bills gripped by said escrow means into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path by said bill-moving means as they are successively moved into positions where they are gripped by said escrow means and are held under pressure by said stacker means, and bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path.
 2. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency as claimed in claim 1 wherein said escrow means presses said bills together in face-to-face relation, and wherein said stacker means subsequently presses said bills together in face-to-face relation.
 3. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bill-moving means includes a pusher that moves a predetermined distance as it moves said bill to the first said position and that moves a further distance as it moves said bill to said second position.
 4. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bill-moving means includes a reciprocable pusher, and wherein said reciprocable pusher moves a predetermined distance in one direction as it moves said bill to the first said position and that moves said bill a further distance in said one direction as it moves said bill to said second position.
 5. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bill-moving means can bodily move a plurality of bills which are gripped in the first said position by said escrow means to said second position where they will be held under pressure by said stacker means.
 6. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space which has gripping members that can receive and temporarily grip the edges of bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means which has further gripping members that can receive bills from said escrow means and that can hold the edges of said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means defining one side of said space, said space and said stacker means being disposed on opposite sides of said escrow means, bill-moving means to move bills in said space into a position where they are gripped by said escrow means and to subsequently move bills gripped by said escrow means into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into the first said position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into said second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means being disposed between two of said walls, and said stacker means being disposed between said two of said walls, whereby a bill that is to be held under pressure by said stacker means will continuously remain between said two of said walls as said bill is successively received and gripped by sAid escrow means and received and held under pressure by said stacker means.
 7. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, and bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having bill-gripping members that grip the edges of bills moved to and held in said first position, and said bill-returning means causing said bill-gripping members to release the bills gripped by said escrow means.
 8. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, and bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member that remains essentially motion-less as a bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, and said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved away from said first bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means.
 9. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, bill-moving means which move each bill that is moved into said space into a first position where it is gripped by said escrow meanS, said bill-moving means including a pusher, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member that remains essentially motion-less as said bill-moving means move said bill into said first position, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved away from said first said bill-gripping member by said pusher of said bill-moving means, and said pusher of said bill-moving means subsequently permitting said second bill-gripping member to move back into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member.
 10. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member that remains essentially motion-less as a bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, and said bill-returning means causing said first said bill-gripping member to move away from said second bill-gripping member and thereby effect the release of any bill gripped by said escrow means.
 11. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member that remains essentially motion-less as a bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, and said bill-returning means causing said first said bill-gripping member to move away from said second bill-gripping member in a direction transverse of tHe first said direction and thereby effect the release of any bill gripped by said escrow means.
 12. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said second bill-gripping member being moved in said one direction and also being moved in a direction transverse to the said one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, and said second bill-gripping member subsequently being permitted to move back into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member.
 13. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, bill-moving means which move each bill that is moved into said space into a first position where it is gripped by said escrow means, said bill-moving means subsequently moving said bill from said first position to a second position where it is held under pressure by said stacker means, said bill-moving means including a reciprocable pusher, said reciprocable pusher moving a predetermined distance in one direction as it moves said bill to said first position and moving said bill a further distance in said one direction as it moves said bill to said second position, and a lost-motion linkage which selectively moves said reciprocable pusher through said predetermined and said further distances.
 14. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space than can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means anD to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said stacker means having a bill-gripping element, said stacker means having a second bill-gripping element that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping element but that is moved in a given direction away from said first said bill-gripping element and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping element as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, and said second bill-gripping member being moved in said one direction before said second bill-gripping element is moved in said given direction.
 15. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said stacker means having a bill-gripping element, and said stacker means having a second bill-gripping element that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping element but that is moved in a given direction away from said first said bill-gripping element and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping element as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, said one direction and said given direction being the same.
 16. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into said space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to reCeive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, bill-moving means which move each bill that is moved into said space into a first position where it is gripped by said escrow-means, said bill-moving means subsequently moving said bill from said first position to a second position where it is held under pressure by said stacker means, said bill-moving means including a pusher, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and gripped by said escrow means, said stacker means having a bill-gripping element, said stacker means having a second bill-gripping element that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping element but that is moved in a given direction away from said first said bill-gripping element and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping element as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, said pusher causing said second bill-gripping member to move in said one direction as said bill is moved into position to be gripped by said escrow means, and said pusher causing said second bill-gripping member to move in said one direction and causing said second bill-gripping element to move in said given direction as said bill is moved into position to be held under pressure by said stacker means.
 17. A combination escrow-stacker for paper currency which comprises walls defining a space that can receive bills, escrow means in communication with said space to receive and temporarily grip bills which are moved into space, stacker means in communication with said escrow means to receive bills from said escrow means and to hold said bills under pressure in a stack, said escrow means and said stacker means being so disposed relative to said space that bills which are moved into said space are moved along a predetermined path as they are successively moved into a first position where they are gripped by said escrow means and into a second position where they are held under pressure by said stacker means, bill-returning means which coact with said escrow means to selectively return bills that are gripped by said escrow means, said bill-returning means and said escrow means providing a path of movement, for said bills which are to be returned, that is at least in part separate and distinct from said predetermined path, bill-moving means which move each bill that is moved into said space into a first position where it is gripped by said escrow means, said bill-moving means subsequently moving said bill from said first position to a second position where it is held under pressure by said stacker means, said bill-moving means including a pusher, said escrow means having a bill-gripping member, said escrow means having a second bill-gripping member that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping member but that is moved in one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposiTe direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping member, said second bill-gripping member being moved in said one direction and also being moved in a direction transverse to the said one direction away from said first said bill-gripping member as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, said stacker means having a bill-gripping element, said stacker means having a second bill-gripping element that initially is adjacent the first said bill-gripping element but that is moved in a given direction away from said first said bill-gripping element and thereafter is permitted to move back in the opposite direction into close proximity to said first said bill-gripping element as said bill is received and held under pressure by said stacker means, said pusher causing said second bill-gripping member to move in said one direction as said bill is moved into position to be gripped by said escrow means, and said pusher causing said second bill-gripping member to move in said one direction and also in said transverse direction and causing said second bill-gripping element to move in said given direction as said bill is moved into position to be held under pressure by said stacker means. 